Training Week September 6th - September 12th

Sunday, September 6th: I wanted to find something to motivate me like a weekend Orangetheory used to so I planned and held true to the hour ride at 8am. It was good (aside from the Dog Issue, ugh) and a PR. I hope to try and keep that up a bit. The weather is changing a bit so I don't need to adjust for the long run as much so I, perhaps, a Peloton morning can fit in. 

Monday, September 7th: I wanted to run but my shin is a little off right now and painful so I skipped it and instead kick my own butt at a 30 minute ride that I've taken before. New PR, baby! It was hard, but not as hard as I thought it potentially could be with the improvement. I was digusting, for sure, but it felt good.

Training Week August 30 - September 5th

Sunday, August 30th: A good trip around the long bike ride I've done before. I felt much better and seemed to have a better handle on this biking thing. I hope that it continues to feel better and more secure. I'm not sure I'll ever get much beyond 30 miles because... well that's a long time to do one thing, but we'll see. I think it makes the husband happy so there's also that. 

Monday, August 31st: This was a weird run. I took off, planning five and everything felt good so I kept going and I also kept going fast. It was nice and unexpected. I think it goes to show a bit about how sleeping a good amount can be a positive. I'm not sure about the pacing (I did doubelcheck) so maybe I'm just having a small bump up in my ability? Of course, now there is the worry about what happens if I get sick, but I think that just came about at present because... well... you know. 

Tuesday, September 1st: My friend had her 300th Peloton ride so I clearly had to join in. Aside from the moment when I just stopped doing the arms, not all together a bad ride especially after the quick run yesterday.

Wednesday, September 2nd: I called this a simple run and that pretty much was all it was. I felt like I could go out and wanted to go out so I did. I'm surprised my legs are holding up as well as they are an my paces. Trying to just keep at it and, perhaps, this is just a little level up thingy. 

Thursday, September 3rd: Again, just a run that got me out there and got me reaching my miles. I am pretty sure I'm going to try and do the Baystate half which will help with focus a bit more on a training plan, although what I've been doing would probably be good enough to accomplish the half. 

Friday, September 4th: I finally added in a rest day. I didn't truly feel like I needed it but it seemed like a good idea plus... house to myself so post-work bath for the win. 

Saturday, September 5th: Long run with Peloton. I wanted some company on this run so plugged in Becs and it was nice. There was a good moment about 2/3rds through where she just kind of says those right things that are, perhaps, too deep for running but, while running, perhaps not.

Training Week August 23rd - August 29th

August 23rd: I did a Peloton ride because I felt prety good and not beat up plus it's a good way to get my mileage in for the week since I missed it in running. 

August 24th: I actually don't know why I decided to do another bike after the various running and biking I did, but it appears that's exactly what I did so... there you go. 

August 25th: This began the weird decision to do the Eastern States 4x5mile even though, as of this moment, I'd have to run 5 miles in a row for four days which, while not a ton, it is certainly more than what I usually do in that order. And so... we'll see how this goes (spoiler alert I know the ned as I write this). 

August 26th: Day two of four. Feeling okay and the Woodkid "Run Boy Run" song helped. 

August 27th: Day three in which I realized I am just going to do this because I know have to. It's been fun to focus on something and to know that at least one friend is doing it as well. 

August 28th: Last day and it was the worst. Felt super tired and a little (shhh) light headed but it's a wrap and there won't realy be hard activities for a few days so... all in all, that feels pretty good. 

August 29th: Just a little rainy walk-about in western Mass. I'm not overly sad that we didn't have the weather to try and summit. Turns out, mentally speaking, I don't think I really like hiking.

It's Not that Deep

For me running is something that I've done very regularly for a long time now. It is something that I enjoy and makes my life complete. It is, overall, something that I am good at as in each run tends to go at least okay. I've kept fitness up over the years to ensure that and it's a nice thing to know that, when I put on my shoes, I will probably have an okay time, if not a good time, on the road. 

There are definitely runs that are better than others and ones that are more frustrating. It's hard, during the frustrating ones, not to get down about the performance or wonder why you are even bothering to be out there if it is just pointless. It's easy to lose some of the joy from the run and focus on the failure that your mind offers up. But, as I began my longer run yesterday and figured I'd face those moments of "why bother", "this isn't going how I want it to go", "etc" I began to try and focus on the reality of what I was doing: I was going for a run. Simple as that. 

I am not a professional running - I do not need to hit certain milestones to ensure I have a job or can make money. There is plently of more important things that are going on in my life than an eight-mile run. The run is what is supposed to be bring focus, peace, relaxation and reprieve. So, why worry about the performance? Why make it in to something more than what it is? Sometimes there just needs to be a reminder that this is just a run and that is okay.

Training Week August 16 - August 22nd

Sunday, August 16th: I felt pretty good post-Falmouth so I decided to just do a low-impact ride to keep things fresh. 

Monday, August 17th: Since the weekend was less full with activities, I thought why not add in a run? So I did. It was good and also was nice to continue to take advantage of the break in the heat. 

Tuesday, August 18th: A semi-speed workout but not entirely. I jumped into the run with Matty Maggiacomo and even the fun runs tends to up the speed a bit even if not focused as a HIIT or interval run. Overall, it was fine and felt good. 

Wednesday, August 19th: I guess I'm just going to keep the speed work up. I did a HIIT ride with Robin. It wasn't bad - HIITs actually aren't my favorite because I someitmes feel like there are a little too out of control with the on-off-on-ff so I don't get a groove going, but I guess maybe there is something positive with that as well...? 

Thursday, August 20th: I WFH'ed and so my eating was super messed up. I knew going out this run was going to hurt as my stomach was already pretty wonky. And I was right. It wasn't quite as bad as I thought (I was able to get the run done) but it certainly was not fun. I suppose it helped that I knew it was going to be blah so I just focused. 

Friday, August 21st: I considered doing nothing and did nothing for a while and then got bored. So I jumped on the bike for a brief (and fun) 15 minute ride to just let off some steam. 

Saturday, August 22nd: I am finding that I think I still enjoy a longer run on Saturday instead of Sunday. It, as I write this on a Sunday, makes the weekend feel more like a weekend. Today I can do what I want because yesterday I worked. It was 8 miles and overall not bad until that last two when the temperature began to rise. I needed to keep focus and really went to the basics (counting my steps) to try and forget about the discomfort and the annoyance and frustration that can come with that. It mostly worked and overall was a pretty good run.

Training Week August 9th - August 15th

Sunday, August 9th: This was not an enjoyable long run, haha. It was too humid and too late. I suffered through the last mile and, in testament to the yuck of it all, the Husband called me to pick him up form his run. Summer running in its finest. 

Monday, August 10th: Day o' Rest. 

Tuesday, August 11th: I jumped on the Peloton for the semi-normal routine of biking and fitting in arms.  

Wednesday, August 12th: I don't really remember this run, but based on my Strava post (it's a quote) it seems like it was one of those semi-peaceful runs where things just sort of happen. 

Thursday, August 13th: I remember feeling awkward pretty much this whole run. It was just one of those where I never seemed to fully warm-up or have my feet under me. It wasn't bad, per se, just annoying.  

Friday, August 14th: I'm planning to run Falmouth tomorrow so rested. 

Saturday, August 15th: Falmouth virtual road race. I plugged a Becs run on in hopes it would keep me focused and speed up. The goal was to run in under an hour and I mananged 55:48 or a 7:52 pace. Not too bad and I feel good about that. I think with a proper warm up I could do better (true in pretty much all my races I feel like) but I am happy with the result as I haven't trained as I once did for this race. And, yes, the Peloton did help.

Reflection

The other night my husband said something to me, about me that I wonder how accurate it truly is versus how he sees me. We were discussing working out and he mentioned how he always feels like he trying to keep up with me. I replied that I'm hardly doing anything that is hard to keep up with (true) other than perhaps the fact what I do get in can be on the end of a Very Long Day and a Very Long Week. But, to my point, his reply to me was that he knows I want more (and implied is I will work hard once that comes around). Now while I appreciate this assumption of me and my work ethic I'm not sure where I really stand with the future. Am I not working hard now because there's the thought of "why bother?" or is it something nore? I really hope that he is right. That when the times become more normal again, I will find myself with a drive that has floundered since March. I guess, like so many other things in life, we shall see but I suppose there is something pretty cool about someone believing in you when you aren't so sure.